Duke hires former St. Joe’s Prep coach Gabe Infante as an assistant
A defensive analyst at Penn State, Infante is joining Manny Diaz's staff with the Blue Devils as special teams coordinator.
Penn State is beginning to feel the aftereffects of defensive coordinator Manny Diaz’s departure to Duke, where two assistants have followed in the new Blue Devils coach’s footsteps.
Gabe Infante, who served as a defensive analyst with the Nittany Lions over the last two seasons, has been hired as the Blue Devils’ special teams coordinator. Infante was previously the head coach at St. Joseph’s Prep for nine years before leaving to become Temple’s running backs coach in 2019.
Fellow defensive analyst Rick Lyster will also leave Penn State for Duke, where he’ll serve as the team’s safeties coach.
Infante was one of the most prolific high school coaches in the Philadelphia area over his career with the Hawks, winning four PIAA state titles and compiling a 91-23 record. He was nominated twice for the Don Shula Award as high school coach of the year.
He claimed his final championship with St. Joe’s Prep in 2018. That team notably included Ohio State wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr., a projected first-round NFL draft pick, and former Buckeyes and current Syracuse quarterback Kyle McCord.
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Alongside Diaz, Infante helped coach a Penn State defense that finished the regular season leading the nation in total defense, sacks, and fewest first downs allowed. He was known by players as a valuable mentor and a respected voice within the film room.
“Gabe is the best,” defensive end Chop Robinson in October. “He’s like a father. He has an offensive mindset from him being in high school. … Just having that on the defensive side is a benefit for us.”